Michael Woods: a tribute to Bruno

Before becoming one of the best cyclists in the world and rising to the top of the race alongside the biggest names, as he did in the last Vuelta, Michael Woods began his professional career here in Quebec City. It was Bruno Langlois, then head of the Garneau-Quebecor team, who recognized his talent. "I really owe him a lot," Mike insists.

How did you and Bruno end up on the same team?

"I was riding for The Cyclery team in Ottawa, and at the Gatineau Grand Prix, I finished third behind Antoine Duchesne and Bruno. Hugo Houle was fourth. Bruno then gave me a spot on the Garneau-Quebecor team. For me, it was an unexpected opportunity: not only to join a team of this caliber, where I could measure myself against very strong riders, but also to benefit from Bruno's incredible experience." 

What exactly did he teach you?

"So many things! First, I learned by emulation: he had raced at the pro continental level, he has formidable talent as a rider, and he is able to read the race with truly remarkable acuity. And above all, Bruno is never afraid to try something that might seem too difficult or out of his league. He's strong, of course, but his greatest asset is his ability to suffer and read the other riders to the point where he can predict the outcome of the race."

You mean he can tell if they're strong or if they're going to crack?

"Exactly. So much so that even today, when I find myself in a breakaway situation, I always wonder what Bruno would do. We competed in so many races together where we found ourselves in the breakaway that I was able to analyze what he did. He would look the riders in the eye, he could assess their form, and he's an extraordinary poker player, able to guess what everyone is feeling behind their mask of impassivity. It taught me that the best cyclist isn't just the one who's in the best shape, it's also the one who's best at reading the race and suffering."

He was hard on you too, wasn't he?

"Yes, really! But it was exactly what I needed. I remember one of our first races, in Florida. I was in the breakaway, super happy to finish fourth, thinking the team members would congratulate me... But Bruno came up to me and yelled at me, and I didn't understand why. But then I realized that I had been selfish and had caused the team to lose. At the time, I was angry. But it opened my eyes to the importance of race tactics. In fact, the worst thing that could have happened to me at that point in my young cycling career would have been for someone to pat me on the back and congratulate me. He helped me understand team dynamics in racing and the meaning of sacrifice for the benefit of the group."